I met Carol (@islcloz) at our LA PopUp this August and my world instantly became more colorful. She was expressive, radiant, smart, beautiful, and passionate about capturing the world around her. By the end of the event, I had made a genuine and dear friend, but I had also met a wildly talented artist.
After keeping in touch, I learned that she was relatively new to photography. I became curious as to what her story was and how she get so good so fast. For years, our team has been set on providing the tools and the inspiration to awaken the inner artist that lives in each person around the world. I learned, that with Carol, we had succeeded. She is an artist unveiled and I am excited to share her work and her journey with you.
Carol grew up in Chicago and was fascinated by architecture, clothing and colors. By the age of 17 she began a long and meaningful career in the apparel and fashion industry and soon after she moved to Los Angeles to advance her career. With thirty years experience in the industry, Carol is highly respected and known for her eye and sense.
A few years ago, however, Carol’s career was at a standstill. Since she had put so much effort and focus on her work life, she felt that all else about her had been put on pause. She shares, “With my spirit broken, I lost my confidence and mojo for the first time in my life. I felt scared, I felt tired.”
Carol’s best friend nudged her to begin walking. “I woke up one morning took a walk and something I saw compelled me to take a picture of it.” One photo led to another and soon she found herself in Mexico on a trip to explore her photography. “When I returned my friend told me that I had found my voice and that I should share what I see and how I see it with the world. It was then that she told me about PicsArt.”
When Carol received her first compliment from a fellow PicsArtist, she felt it was a life changer. “I always knew we all have extended families however I did not ever know the impact PicsArt and the family of PicsArt would have on me until now. I am beyond touched and moved over a simple comment to a photo. I call it a spirit lifter. My precious followers have motivated me to levels I never thought I could achieve before.”
Today, Carol has her mojo back and is busy capturing and creating beautiful moments and images. “I am not stuck anymore, I am not tired, I am opening my eyes and tapping back into my creative side which was dormant in many ways for many years. I discovered a hobby for the first time in my life at the age of 50. I am awake.”
For Carol, PicsArt is beyond the photography. It is a window into her own personal journey and into the journey of her friends. “All of us have an idea, a thought, an eye, a creative loving unique way of seeing the world around us. There is no greater joy than seeing, watching, engaging with everyone else and what beauty they captured that day.”
I have to resonate Carol’s words by saying that it is an incredible joy to watch a journey taken and an artist unveiled. It is an honor to see the spirit and passion of so many beautiful people from around world, through an art that binds us. Thank you Carol for so eloquently sharing what PicsArt stands for.
This story was prepared by PicsArt’s Community Editor, Madlene @madlene_pa. If you have a PicsArt story to share, we would love to read it. Please send an email to [email protected]
